


Childish Things

by Prof_Anity



Category: Fallout 3
Genre: Angst, Anyways this is a story about, Female Friendship, Gen, Goodbyes, It's odd to me how much I felt the ending of Trouble on the Homefront, New to all this so idk how much violence qualifies as graphic, Two emotionally closed off people try to explain how much the other means to them, but hey
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-30
Updated: 2017-09-30
Packaged: 2019-01-07 01:50:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,618
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12223305
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Prof_Anity/pseuds/Prof_Anity
Summary: The Lone Wanderer and a childhood friend exchange gifts. A man with a giant axe is involved.References the first few levels and takes place around the Trouble on the Homefront mission.





	Childish Things

**Author's Note:**

> First fic that I actually posted here. Still fairly new to the whole fanfic business. Tried to go experimental with this one.   
> Feel free to comment!

**Page 1**

Splash page of Grognak, aged 16. His battle axe is strapped to his belt. He is stumbling through the wasteland.

Caption: He is not the barbarian legend that we know yet, but the powerful gaze is the same. Today, however, he is struggling to maintain it.

Caption: He is certain that the stream is nearby. He has been certain of this for days now. Thirst has been steadily draining him of life. 

**Page 2**

_Panel 1_

His eyes widen.

_Panel 2_

He finally sees the stream in the distance, its precious water offering relief to him.

_Panel 3_

He begins stumbling towards his goal.

_Panel 4_

He reaches the stream, falling over within reach of the water.

_Panel 5_

He begins bringing the water to his mouth, steadying as he does so.

_Panel 6_

Shadows appear over Grognak.

**Page 3**

_Panel 1_

He weakly turns to find a pack of three raiders standing, completely relaxed and grinning.

_Panel 2_

The raiders whip out different sorts of blades.

Raider 1: Looks like we’ve got a big, easy meal ahead of us boys. Slightly dehydrated, but still full of delicious meat!

_Panel 3_

Grognak pulls his trusted axe from his belt.

Caption: The barbarian makes it clear that he would not let them have their meal so easily.

_Panel 4_

The bandits grin, savoring the moment.

Caption: And the thugs do not mind this at all.

**Page 4**

_Panel 1_

Grognak targets the closest of the three bandits, bringing his axe in a sweeping motion through the man's legs.

Caption: Steel meets flesh with a crash and a pained scream.

_Panel 2_

Raider 1 falls to the floor, legs mutilated.

_Panel 3_

Grognak slams the axe blade down on the bandit’s head.

Caption: The scream is quickly silenced.

_Panel 4_

Grognak wrenches his axe from the raider’s face.

**Page 5**

_Panel 1_

Raider 2 takes this moment to charge Grognak with his sword, slashing him across the chest.

_Panel 2_

Grognak recoils in pain.

_Panel 3_

Raider 3, grinning, moves to stab Grognak.

_Panel 4_

Grognak deflects the blow with his axe, which takes the damage but with less resistance than he expected. 

**Page 6**

_Panel 1_

Grognak engages Raider 2, his axe clashing with the other’s sword.

_Panel 2_

Raider 3 stabs Grognak in the back of his legs, bringing him to his knees.

_Panel 3_

Raider 2 attempts to slash Grognak by the throat.

_Panel 4_

Grognak catches the sword, but his axe shatters in the process.

_Panel 5_

Grognak stands.

Caption: With murder in his eyes, the barbarian would be unstoppable now.

_Panel 6_

The two raiders charge.

**Page 7**

_Panel 1_

Raider 2 attempts to stab Grognak.

_Panel 2_

Grognak grabs the other raider, and the sword goes through his chest and stays there.

_Panel 3_

Grognak puts both of his hands on the last survivor’s throat.

_Panel 4_

The raider falls to the ground, neck broken.

_Panel 5_

Grognak stands, chest heaving.

Caption: Anger and adrenaline give way to lucidity.

_Panel 6_

Grognak reaches to pick up his ruined axe.

**Page 8**

Splash page of Grognak the Barbarian, standing amidst the bodies of the dead bandits, holding his broken weapon.

Caption: He holds the shattered remains of the only thing he could ever think of as a friend. And whether due to exhaustion or long-buried sentimentality, for the first time in this lone wanderer’s turbulent life, Grognak weeps.

* * *

**Now**

Xandra Gomez was back in Vault 101. She had received a distress signal coming from her old home, and rushed there at once. There was a disturbance going on, with the people being divided into two factions, one that believed in leaving the vault, and another that was adamant about staying. Her only childhood friend Amata was leading the former, while her insane father refused to give up the only place they had ever known. 

Xandra was allowed back into 101 by Amata, and she successfully ended the conflict. Nobody died, and Amata’s father was convinced to give up his role as the Overseer.

Amata was now the authority of the vault, and her first decree was to ask Xandra to leave forever. “I have to get them to look to me as a leader, and I can’t do that if you're around,” she said to Xandra. “My loyalty would be questioned. I'm sorry that I have to ask you to do this.” 

Xandra swallowed, and said, “Can...can you just give me a moment to visit my dad’s office?”

Amata gave an understanding nod.

Xandra walked over to the next room, the clinic where her father did most of his work. She looked around, smiling at the bobblehead that he kept in the office. She examined the framed quote of Revelation 21:6 on the wall, and was surprised to find a safe. She picked it open to reveal an audio recording. She played it on her Pip-Boy. 

She was greeted by her father’s familiar voice, with a troubled tone. “Well, here we are. Nestled all safe and snug inside Vault 101. It's so cold down here. Colder still with Catherine gone... Oh, Catherine.... I so wish you were here with me. How the hell am I supposed to do this by myself? Live down in this hole. Take care of our child... But this is our life now, so I guess I'd better get used to it. The Overseer who runs the place is an overbearing bully, but I've dealt with worse.”

Xandra had to fight back tears.

Looking to distract herself, she searched the desk’s drawers. She found a comic script. It was a Grognak comic she wrote a few years ago. She was going to share it with Amata, who was a gifted artist. Her father discovered it, however, and was so appalled by its violent content that he confiscated it. She just had to smile at this find. 

She took the bobblehead to keep in her house at Megaton. The script, on the other hand, had to finally be delivered to its intended recipient. 

Xandra exited the office to meet Amata. “This is for you,” she said, leaving the papers on the nearest desk. “Read it after I’m gone.”

“I’ll walk with you to the entrance,” said Amata. As they walked through the narrow hallways, neither said a word. They reached the gate, and Amata stood by the button. “I’m gonna miss you. I’m sure we’ll meet again someday, when we’re prepared to leave the Vault. Take care, until then. You’re the only family I have left.” 

They hugged, a good long while, taking in the moment. When the moment had passed, Xandra turned to the entrance and walked slowly, as if she were on her way to her execution. She reached the door, and swung it open, taking care to close it properly afterwards. The heavy vault gate inside then screeched shut.

Xandra breathed in the acrid air of the Wasteland. She turned around to look at the now sealed doors of Vault 101 in disbelief. She felt numb.

**Five Days Later**

Xandra was sitting at the Big Town playground. It was the afternoon, so Bittercup was asleep. She was fiddling with her Pip-Boy, scanning through the radio signals it was picking up. There was another Vault 101 transmission. She stared at the display, debating whether or not to listen to it. Eventually she did, and Amata’s familiar, but more tired, tones came through.

“I shouldn’t do this, but to heck with it, I’m the leader now. Xandra, stop by the entrance of 101. There’s something for you,” the voice said.

Getting up from the swing set, she strapped her sledgehammer to her back, and put her hat on. Her modified Vault jumpsuit was already packed with medical supplies. She began her trek southward, some sense of anticipation building. It was tinged with melancholy, as she had a feeling Amata wasn't going to be there, ready to leave the Vault with her best friend.

The Wasteland was empty, the centaurs and mole rats seemed to be elsewhere today. The only resistance Xandra met came from raiders trying to steal her gear, as raiders do. She pummelled their faces in with her hammer, as she does with raiders. 

When she reached the front entrance of Vault 101, she found a sealed box. On top was a note from Amata. It said, “Keep it safe on the outside, and I’ll keep it safe on the inside. I know you’ll take care of these. Amata.”

The first thing inside the container was a collection of photographs of the two of them. Xandra’s tenth birthday, with her holding the comic Amata had gifted her. Eating lunch just after taking their GOAT. There was a picture of Freddie Gomez inserted there as well, with “Figured you'd like this,” scrawled on the back. “I have a girlfriend now, but I appreciate the thought,” she said to herself.

The other item packed staggered Xandra. It was a Grognak comic book. And not just any comic, it was based on the script she had written. Amata had drawn the stupid 8-page story Xandra came up with when she was an angst-ridden teenager. It turned out much better than she could have hoped for, it was gorgeously rendered. And much like her hero, Xandra could not help but cry.

Then, realizing that she had to move on, and that her best friend was more than likely watching from the surveillance camera on the outside, Xandra simply gave a thumbs up and went on her way. Hopefully, Bittercup will be up by the time she gets back to Big Town. She’ll probably get a kick out of these.


End file.
